Yonder stands a lovely creature, Who she is I do not know: I'll go and court her for her beauty, Let her answer, "yes" or "no". "Madam, I am come to court you, If your favour I can gain: First your hand, love, then your welcome, P'rhaps that I'll not come again." "Madam, I have gold and silver, Madam, I have house and land: Madam, I have the world of pleasure, All to be at your command." "What care I for gold and silver, What care I for house and land? What care I for the world of pleasure, So long as I've got a nice young man?" "Ripest apples soonest rotten, Hottest love it soon gets cold: Young men's words are soon forgotten, So pray, young man, don't speak too bold." "After nettles then come roses, After night then in comes day: After a false love then a true love, So we pass our time away."
Folk Songs from Sussex
Song Cycle by George Sainton Kaye Butterworth (1885 - 1916)
1. Yonder stands a lovely creature  [sung text checked 1 time]
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]2. A blacksmith courted me  [sung text checked 1 time]
A blacksmith courted me nine long months and better, He stole my heart away, wrote to me a letter, His hammer all in his hand he looked so brave and clever, And if I was with my love, I would live forever. My love's gone across those fields with his cheeks like roses, My love's gone across those fields gathering sweet posies, I fear the scorching suns will shine and spoil his beauty, And if I was with my love, I would do my duty. Strange news is come from abroad, strange news is carried, Strange news is come to tell that my love is married, There is no truth in man, nor in father nor in brother, And since I have lost my love, I will seek no other.
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- IRI Irish (Gaelic) [singable] (Gabriel Rosenstock) , "Bhí gabha ag suirí liom", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
3. Sowing the seeds of love  [sung text checked 1 time]
I sowed the seeds of love, It will blossom all in the spring, It will blossom in April, in May, and in June, When the small birds do sweetly sing. My gard'ner was standing by, I asked him to choose for me, He chose me the lily, the violet and pink, Each of them I refused all three. The lily I did not like, Because it does fade so soon, The violet and pink I did both overlook, And so now I must bide till June. In June there's a rosy bud, And it runs all over me, Of times I've been kissed by those red rosy lips, Till I gained the green willow tree. The willow tree will twist, And the willow tree will twine, And I wish that I was in that young man's arms, That has stolen this heart of mine.
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]4. A lawyer he went out  [sung text checked 1 time]
A lawyer he went out one day, A riding through the city, It was there he met with a handsome maid, And he thought her so sweet and pretty. "Good morning to you, pretty maid, O whither are you going?" "I am going a-down yonder meadow," she said, "Where my father he is a-mowing." "I'll take you up to London town, And all such lovely places, I will busk you into a silken gown, Gold rings and gold chains and laces." "I'll have none of your London town, Nor any other places, I will not be busked into a silen gown, Gold rings and gold chains and laces." And now she is a poor man's wife, Her husband dearly loves her, And she lives a sweet and contented life, There's no lady in town above her.
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]5. Come my own one  [sung text checked 1 time]
"Come my own one, come my fond one, Come my dearest unto me, Will you wed a poor sailor lad That has just returned from sea?" "You are ragged, love, you are dirty, love, And your clothes smell much of tar So begone you saucy sailor boy. So begone you Jack Tar." "If I'm ragged, love, if I'm dirty, love, And my clothes smell much of tar, I've silver in my pocket, love, Bright gold in great store." As soon as she heard him say so Down on her bended knee she fell, "I will wed you my dear Henery, For I love a sailor lad well." "Do you think I am foolish, love, Do you think that I am mad, To wed a poor country girl, Where no fortune is to be had?" "I'll a-cross the briny ocean, Where meadows are so green, And since you refuse the offer, love, Some other girl shall wear the ring." "I'm frolicsome, I'm easy, Good-tempered and free, I don't care a single pin, my boys, What the world thinks of me."
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]6. The cuckoo  [sung text checked 1 time]
The cuckoo is a merry bird, she sings as she flies, She brings us good tidings and tells us no lies; She sucks the sweet flowers to make her sing clear, And she never sings "cuckoo" till summer is near. O meeting is a pleasure, but parting a grief, An inconstant lover is worse than a thief; For a thief will but rob you and [take all you have, But an inconstant lover will bring you to the grave]1. The grave it wil rot you and bring you to dust, There is not one in twenty young men girls can trust; They will kiss you, and court you and swear to be true, And the very next moment they'll bid you adieu. Come all you young women wherever you be, Build never your nest in the top of a tree; For the leaves they will wither, the branches decay, And the beauty of fair maids will soon fade away.
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View original text (without footnotes)1 in some versions: "swear to be true,/ And the very next moment they'll bring you to the grave"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
7. A brisk young sailor courted me  [sung text checked 1 time]
A brisk young sailor courted me, He stole away my liberty, He won my heart with a free good-will, He's false, I know, but I love him still. There is an alehouse in yonder town, Where my love goes and sits him down, He takes another girl on his knee, And don't you think that's a grief to me? A grief to me! I'll tell you why, Because she's got more gold than I, Her gold will waste and her beauty blast, And she'll become like me at last. O what a foolish girl was I To give my heart to a sailor boy, A sailor boy although he be, I love him better than he loves me.
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]8. Seventeen come Sunday  [sung text checked 1 time]
As I walked out one May morning, one May mornin so early, As I walked out one May morning, one May morning so early, I overtook a handsome maid, just as the sun was a-rising, Rue dal day, Fol diddle day, Right fol diddle doddle dido. Her shoes were bright, her stockings white, and her buckles shone like silver, Her shoes were bright, her stockings white, and her buckles shone like silver, She had a black and a rolling eye, and her hair hung down her shoulder, Rue dal day, Fol diddle day, Right fol diddle doddle dido. "Where are you going, my pretty maid, where are you going, my honey, Where are you going, my pretty maid, where are you going, my honey?" She answered me right cheerfully, "On an errand for my mammy." Rue dal day, Fol diddle day, Right fol diddle doddle dido. "How old are you, my pretty maid, how old are you, my honey, How old are you, my pretty maid, how old are you, my honey?" She answered me right cheerfully, "I am seventeen come Sunday," Rue dal day, Fol diddle day, Right fol diddle doddle dido. And now she's with her soldier lad, where the wars they are alarming, And now she's with her soldier lad, where the wars they are alarming, And the drum and fife are her delight, and a merry man in the morning, Rue dal day, Fol diddle day, Right fol diddle doddle dido.
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]9. Roving in the dew  [sung text checked 1 time]
"Where are you going to, my pretty fair maid, Red rosy cheeks and coal-black hair?" "I'm going a milking, kind sir," she answered me, "For roving in the dew makes the milk-maids fair." "What is your father then, my pretty fair maid, Red rosy cheeks and coal-black hair?" "My father's a farmer, kind sir," she answered me, "For roving in the dew makes the milk-maids fair." "What is your mother then, my pretty fair maid, Red rosy cheeks and coal-black hair?" "The wife of my father, kind sir," she answered me, "For roving in the dew makes the milk-maids fair." "May I come along with you, my pretty fair maid, Red rosy cheeks and coal-black hair?" "Just as it please you, kind sir," she answered me, "For roving in the dew makes the milk-maids fair." "Suppose I ran away from you, my pretty fair maid, Red rosy cheeks and coal-black hair?" "The devil may run after you, I will stand and laugh at you, For roving in the dew makes the milk-maids fair."
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]10. The true lover's farewell  [sung text checked 1 time]
"O don't you see the little turtle-dove, That's sitting on yonder tree, And making moan for its own true love, As I shall do for thee, my dear, As I shall do for thee?" "O fare you well, my own true love, O fare you well for a while; And I will surely return back again, If I go ten thousand a-mile, my dear, If I go ten thousand a-mile." "Shall the stars fall from the skies, my dear, Or the rocks melt with the sun? I will never be false to the girl of my heart, Till all these things be done, my dear, Till all these things be done."
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]11. Tarry trowsers  [sung text checked 1 time]
One fine morning as I was walking, The weather being bright and clear, I overheard a tender mother, Talking to her daughter dear. "Daughter, I would have you marry, No longer lead a single life." "O no," said she, "I'd rather tarry, For my jolly sailor bright." "Sailors they are given to roving, Into foreign parts they go; Then they leave you broken-hearted, Full of sorrow, grief and woe." "Mother, would you have me wed a farmer, Take from me my heart's delight! Give me the lad whose tarry tarry trowsers Shine to my eyes like diamonds bright."
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